Democrat Tells GOP to ‘Wake Up’ from ‘Ideological Wet Dream’

Comstock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — A Democratic lawmaker took to the House floor Friday to implore Republicans to “wake up” from their “ideological wet dream,” as the lower chamber prepared to vote on a spending bill that would fund the government while simultaneously defunding Obamacare.

“I rise in strong opposition to this radical, right-wing effort to walk our economy off of a cliff and cause a government shutdown,” Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said during floor debate leading into the vote. “I invite my colleagues on the other side to wake up from this radical, ideological wet dream and come back to reality.”

The freshman Democrat’s lively word choice raised some eyebrows throughout the hallowed halls of Congress, unaccustomed to a break in decorum in an institution dominated by overt politeness, mutual respectability and restrained civility.

As he continued, Swalwell called on Congress to return to the negotiating table “to talk about what we can do to avoid a government shutdown.”

“We all know how this should end. There’s a way to fund the government which would pass this chamber with votes from both sides of the aisle,” he said. “I can only hope that the Republican leadership will eventually listen to the pleas from the Americans in my district and in the whole country and pursue this bipartisan effort. Until then, I urge all members to oppose this bill.”

The House voted Friday morning for legislation to fund the government through Dec. 15, while defunding the Affordable Care Act. That legislation will likely be amended in the Senate, which is expected to send the bill back to the House next week as the shutdown showdown drags on.